Egg-tester



(No Model.)

C. A. CONGER.

EGG TESTER.

No. 451,318. Patented Apr. 28,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENTv Grimes..

CHARLES A. CONGER, OF SEYMOUR, IOVA.

EGG-TESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,318, dated April 28, 1891.

Application led February 10, 1891. SerialNo. 380.955. (No model.) i

To all whom, t may concern.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. CONGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sey- 1nour,in the county of Vayne and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Testers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to-make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the let-ters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in egg-testers; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to construct an apparatus or device wherein the testing of eggs can be carried out with ease, dispatch, and small expense.

A further object is the provision of a simple, inexpensive, and conveniently-arranged apparatus in which a large number of eggs may be tested at one time.

These objects I attain by the construction illustrated in the -accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure l is an elevation of my apparatus with the front removed. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the cover or shield, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the egg-tray.

In the drawings,` A represents a rectangular box or casing, havingits bottom, side, and end walls of theinterior covered with re-lectors B, The end reflector is arranged at an ineline t0 the perpendicular, as shown in Fig. l.

Within the casing, to one side of the center thereof, is arranged a lamp C, above which is a flue or chimney C to create a draft and carry off the products of combustion. This chimney is supported on a top piece, the end of which has a hinge-cover D', whereby access is gained to the lamp.

E represents an egg-tray supported on suitable cleats inthe top of the casing, to one side of the lamp and directly above, the inclined reector. This tray is constructed with handles on its sides, so that it may be lifted from its seat. It has a series of conical-shaped openings therein inclining downwardly'and terminating in a reduced aperture or opening' sufficient for t-he vpoint of an egg to pass through. These openings may be of equal diameter, if desired. 'The upper face of the tray is covered with a flexible covering E having a series of apertures therein corresponding to the apertures in the tray, but of a diameter less than the diameter of the upper portion of the openings, thereby forming a packing or rest for the eggs to prevent any light from getting or penetrating through the apertures around the sides of the egg.

Hinged to one side of the rear of the casing is a curved dome or shield F, constructed to cover that portion of the case containing the tray. This dome has an elongated opening in its front, under which a sliding curved cover F is adapted to move, the cover F being slidingly secured in position on two side brackets F2, secured to the ends of this dome slightly below the top thereof, leaving a space between suficient to accommodate the slide. The curvature of the slide is such as to correspond with the curvature of the top. It has a handle fon its lower edge proj ecting through the elongated opening, whereby the same may be forced up'or down to cover or uncover the opening.

Gr is an eye-hole formed in the top or crown of the dome, and is surrounded on itsouter side by flexible eye-pieces G', constructed to lit the face of the operator, so that when in operation all exterior light is excluded.

In the end of the dome is a circular handhole I-I, above and below which are secured parallel guides, between which a sliding cover works to close the hand-hole. This construction is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The purpose of this hand-hole is to permit the operator to insert his hand in the dome and mark all bad eggs.

In operation the eggs are placed on the tray, the same is lifted, in position, thelight having previously been lighted and the dome or cover thrown over the tray to exclude the exterior light from the eggs. By the use of the reflectors on the inside of the casing and the angle at which the end refiectoris placed the f IOO rays of light are more or less concentrated and thrown on the bottom of the eggs in the tray. If the apparatus is in a comparatively dark room, the operator forces up the front slide and can examine the contents through the large elongated opening in the frontof the dome. In this connection it Will be noticed that the side of the slide is such that when it is thrown open to expose the opening it closes the eye-openings in the top, thereby preventing light from entering at that point. If,"hoWever, the apparatus is to be used in the open air, the front opening is closed, thereby exposing the eye-opening.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of my device can be made and substitutedfor those herein shown and described Without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let.- ters Patent, is-

The egg-tester, as herein shown and described, consisting of the rectangular box or z5' a curved dome hinged to the casing and cov- 3o ering the tray and formed with an elongated opening in its front and an eye-opening in its top, a curved slide resting on brackets secured to the ends of the dome, the slide being constructed to cover the eye-opening when the 35 elongated opening is open, and the end of the dome having a hand-hole therein and a slide for covering the saine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 4o presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES A. CONGER. Witnesses:

J. F. WAGNER, T. L. MORRISON. 

